Car seat



J. M. KNIGHT Dec. 5, 1933.

CAR SEAT Filed Aug. 21, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 a 22 m a) Dec. 5, 1933. J KNlGHT 1,937,578

CAR SEAT Filed Aug. 21, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 flTTOR/VEY Dec. 5, 1933. J KMGHT 1,937,578

CAR SEAT Filed Aug. 21, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 5, 1933. J. M. KNIGHT 1,937,578

CAR SEAT Filed Aug. 21, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 flTTORNEY Patented Dec. 5, 1933 1,937,57s Q I (as SEA-i II John M: Knight; Atlantis Highlands, N. ;J., :as-

signer ;to Americanqflar. and Foundry Comepany, New York,- N. Y.,'a corporation of New Jersey Application highs 21, I f 13 Claims-3 T his invention relates; to seats .f railway ears and more partic'ularlyito seats which .m'ay b e rotated to face towards either end of the car and .it is an object of this invention to provide. an

improved mechanism for seats of the type described which -will .be of simple design, easily operated and ,oilow-maihtenance cost. It is also anobject of this invention to provide aseatof .the type describ'edwhich may be rotated without I .110 tilting the seat body when all the seats of a row are rotated in succession and in which the seat bodymay be tilted so that individual seats of a row may be turned without disturbing adjacent I .seats. It .is also an object of this invention to provide an improved mechanism for as eatof the type described whichwill lock the seat against all movement but which will bereleased auto niatically and shift the .seat to a position in n .which it may be turned npon operation of the 2 binati'on location and relative-arrangement of the parts, all as will be more fully herein-"Set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings and finally pointed out in the appended claims. In the drawings; I I I Fig. 1 is atop plan viewof aportion of a.-rowof seats, the middle seat being showninsolidlines in tilted and partly turned position and in broken lines in position assumed when released ior turning; I I t I Fig. 2is an elevationasseen from the carais le,

of the seats shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a verticalsection taKenlOngitudinaIly,

4 of the seat as onthe line 3'3 of Fig. 6 with the seat body being shown; r

Fig. 4 is a top plan view 0': the seatbaseithe mechanism being in its normal position as in Fig. 3;

and

operating lever and which will automatically return theseat to the fully lockedposition upon' I movement of the seat to either {limit ofrotation, I

With these and other objects in view aswill appear more fully hereinafter, the invention consists substantially in the construction, com- I I I I I I formed as a single pressed .memb'eriit .will" be rectangular opening'lorlslot 6.,and it seat in normal position, and only part of the I I I I I I I I I above the plate a an about whi'ohfits-theihub,

Fig! 5 is an end elevation of. the'seat b'as e as seen from the car aisle or the right'in Figs. 3.

shape, having its lower flange resting} 1929. Serial Neg-3875407 (o1. 96)

Fig.v 8lis a vertical section similar 'tojFig. '3f and showing'thepositio'nof the operating mechanism when the seat body. as been shiftedaway 'fr'om the car wall prior tov being turned;' I I I Fig 9 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing ;th e' positions ofthe parts when the'seat body'h'a's been partly turned; I I

Fig. 1.0 is a view similar to Fig. '7 showing (the positions of the parts when the seat bodyfh'as been movedoutvirom the car wallprior to-turnin'g; 3

Fig. "11 is a fragmentary vertical sectionof "the base showing the operating lever in itsnormal position and the la'teh operatingtl'ever carried by theop'erating lever in latoh releasing position;

as a

Fig. 1'2 .is an I ndelevaition, drawn to a larger scal -o the parts shewn in Fig. 11. I

Asshownin the drawings ahars'e'athon' idiot-I. edjin acc'ozi-danee with-this inventionfoofn pedestal .1 substantially or box s'l f1a1i('a .an a'fiattop-Z and ve1'1ti' c'al.s' ides' .3, the s id'e's B ei'ng l flared at their lower edges to pro ide attaohih'g flanges 4 bymeahs .of which the .pedes'tal is'ise-i cured to th'ejcar floor or frame. While .thejped-f. estal' -has been maicateaiin the drawings: .asg

understood that it may be formed otIa niimbie'ri In .th'e'top 2.-of the pedestal .1 .isfan. elongatdthe n 1 P attacheda guide plate '8 of irregular .sh'ape'andf havin'gian opening 10 correspond ng to the open; mg 6 in the mp2, the :op'eriirie,10 bemgxdennd' oi asp'i'cler or hinge plate22 Vi ic'h r'es t's oh the gdid'e plate "8 a'nfdtopz andisseoiired toj the slide block 1 2 'by, washer 24 an'd lbolt 26,11 the hinge I plate 22 and shoulders"l' servingto retainthe' slide 'b loj'ek .-1'2 in position in the opening in'the .gliideplatfi. I I l 'l The Lhi ng'eQ plate as; seat body "sijip'piht,' as will be.apparentlhereinaften .andinclndesthe I hub portion :2 wh ch fits'aboiit.,th slidejblj'oek 5 IZ and arms 3.0 which-Connect 't nbi'pdrtion .ZB to an annular rim'32 substa ally Channel I Y 2 andgforrnedat its outer .eage -w tha v pdiliibii 34 which. fits .blilth the Oliliw I jecting arms 36 formed integral with the guide plate 8. The hinge plate 22 is also provided with spaced projecting arms 40 formed at their ends with spaced perforated lugs 42 which cooperate with similar lugs 44 formed on plates 46 attached to member 48 of the base frame of the seat body 50, the openings in the lugs 42 and 44 being aligned to receive hinge pins 52'which pivotally connect the plates 46 to the arms 40 of the hinge plate 22. The hinge plate 22 is also formed with a flange 54 which projects outwardly from the rim 32 for a portion of its length and cooperates with a roller 56 pivotally mounted on a bolt 58 attached to the top 2 of the pedestal;' Spaced from the ends of the flange 54 are stops 59 which have a greater projection than the flange 54 and are positioned so as to form diametrically opposite slots 60 which receive the roller 56. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the hinges attaching the body to the hinge plate 22 are set inwardly from the front edge of the base frame of the seat body and the base'frame is provided with a projecting skirt or retaining piece 51 secured to the top of the front rail of the base frame and engaging the 7 -68 and '70 attached to the base frame of the seat normal position on the pedestal. Formed integral with the rim 32 of the hinge plate 22. are

body. The supports 68 which are attached to the base frame adjacent the hinge edge of the seat are formed so as only to rest upon the upper surfaces of the projections 66 while the supports "'70 which are attached to the base frame at the edge opposite to the hinge edge of the seat are provided with flanges or lips '71 spaced from the bodiesof the supportsand which engage beneath theprojections 66 when the seat body is in its pads '73 positioned opposite the arms 40 and projecting above the remainder of the hinge plate. Theipa'ds 73 serve as supp'orts'for the seat body 50 when the supports 68 and 70 are'disengaged from the brackets 62 but are of such height as to be free of the seat body when the supports 68 and 70 are engaged with the brackets 62. c

To operate the seat there is provided a bell crank lever72 pivoted at 74 in a bracket 76 attached to adiaphragm 78 which is secured'to the top 2 andsides of the pedestal and also serves to reinforce the pedestal. To the arm 80 of the bell crank lever '72 is pivotally connected a'link 82 having a reduced threaded end portion 84 which projects through an opening in the arm 16. onthe slide block 12, and is secured V to the arm 16 by a cap 86 threaded on the porand projects through an opening 98 in the pedestal tion 84 of the link 82. The cap 86 is provided with an eye 88 to which is attached a spring 90 which'has'itsiother end attached to the bolt 92 adjustably mounted in the side of the pedestal by means of nuts 94. The other arm 96 of the bell crank lever, '72 is of substantially I-section 1 and adjacent its outer end has pivotally mounted thereon a lever 100 of substantially channel section and fitting over the arm 96. To the pedestal 1 adjacent the arm 96 of the bell crank lever 72 there is pivoted a latch 102 having a hook portion 104 which, when the arm 96 is in its normal or raised position, will engage beneath the arm 96 and prevent the armfrom being moved downward. The latch 102 is also provided with an arm having an outwardly projecting lug 106 which is positioned to be engaged by the projection 107 on the inner end of the lever 100 so that upon operation of the lever 100 the latch 102 will be operated and the hook portion 104 withdrawn from beneath the arm 96. Thelatch 102 is so shaped that when released it will fall by gravity to its position beneath the bell crank lever '72'and the lever 100 is pivoted so thatthe inner end of the leverwill tend to rest on the arm 96 and keep the outer portion of the lever 100 away from the outer portion of the lever arm 96. The arm 96 has its web 7 filled to equal thickness with the flanges adjacent the latch 102 so that when the arm 96 is in its lowered position the latch will be in engagement with the thickened portion of the arm 96 and be held in position to engage beneath the arm .96' when it is raised to itsrnormal position and kept:

from interfering with the movement'of "the arm 96. 3 V In the arranging of the seats in the car the aisle of the car and the seat body is so positioned cent the front edge of theseat body; The hinge plate 22 will, when the'seat is in a normalposi-j tion facing anv'end of thecar, be as shown in Fig.4 with the slide block 12 at the extreme left of the slot 10 in the guide plate 8 and with the} roller 56 engaging in .a slot 60 preventing turning of the seat body; At this time the flanges '71 willbe engaged beneath the projections 66 preventing tilting of the seat body about the hinges and the brackets 68 and 70 will be resting upon .the projections 66. At this time also 'the'bell' crank lever 72 will be in its raised position with the latch 102 in engagement beneath the arm 96 preventing sliding. movement of the seat on the pedestal and the lever will have its inner portion resting on the a'rm 96. The seats when placed in-the car are spaced apart so that when it is desired to turn all the seats of a row-this may be accomplished by beginning with the" front seat offthe row and turning the seats :in

succession. Where the seats are of the usual construction, this'spacing of'the seats does not seats of the row are being turned'the operator permit of turning an intermedi'ate seat alone;

because of interference of the seat back with 1 1 adjacent seats.v To turn each seat whenall the presses his 'foot on the pedal portion 101 on the outer end ofthe lever 100 causing the'projection 107 on the inner end of the lever to operate the latch 102 retracting the hook portionl04 thereof from beneath the lever arm 96. Continuing the pressure on themlever 100 causes the lever 72 to be operated-against the action of spring 90,

sliding the slide block 12 in thefslot 10 in the 1 guide. plate 8 and carrying with it the hinge plate 22'andthe seat body 50(seeFig. 8). This operation draws the seat from the car sidewall toward i the aisle asshown in broken lines in Fig; 1 to a position in'which the front corners of the seat will clear the car side; wall when the seat is rotated and in this position the hinge plate 22 i has been moved to a point where the roller 56 has been disengaged from the slot 60 and the supports 68 and '70 have been withdrawn from:

-' supporting, element to hold the latter Shifted; be turned but the stops 59 insurethat the seat position during rotation; 1: z I 3. Ina carsea't', a' pedestal, a seat body moiint ed'on the' pedestal, leverimeans'fon the pedestal connected with'the body and-operative to shift the body on the pedestal, a latch forsaid-lvefr'neans,

therbrackets 62. In this po's'ition 'the seat may maywbe turned in only one-t direction fromieach of itsextreme positions-r A' 1 turningmovement of the. seat now brings' the roller 56 inengage-" ment' with the 'flang'e154 on the'hinge plate122': and 1 holds the' hingewplate' in the: position'lto which; it has beenwshift'ed; At this time the": operator may withdraw his foot from the'lever i 100 permitting-the lever to drop back upon thearm 96 andupermitting; the :latch 102' to"drop* down into engagement 'with the web of the arm. 96: The ,1 seat may then-be turned: untilvthefull i traverse of ldegreeshas1been made at. which time the roller 56 will engage the other stop 59 stopping theiirotation of the seat and permitting the spring to shift the seat body and hinge plate on the pedestal and bringing the roller 56 into the other slot 60. This movement causes the seat body to move toward the car side wall and away from the aisle and brings the supports 68 and 70 into engagement with the brackets 62 causing the flanges 71 to engage beneath the flanges 66 and permitting the latch 102 to engage beneath arm 96. The movement of the seat outwardly from the wall by the operation of the lever '72 retracts the hinge plate 22 from the roller 56 permitting the seat to be turned, and retracts the supports '70 and 68 from the brackets 62 and the flanges '71, from the projections 66 permitting theseat to be tilted but the seat cannot be moved from the wall unless the deliberate act of operating the latch 102 is performed. Where it is desired to turn a seat in a row in order that passengers may sit face to face the foot pedal '72 will be operated as before withdrawing the seat' from the wall and freeing the seat so that it may be turned, but in order to turn the seat in the small clearance provided it is then necessaryto tilt the seat body 50 from its normal position on the hinges which connect the seat body 50 to the hinge plate 22 thus bringing the seat back more nearly in a perpendicular line with the center of rotation of the seat and reducing the clearance necessary. The seat body then assumes the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 1 in which position the seat may be turned without interfering with the seats adjacent to the seat being turned.

- While the preferred form of the invention has been shown and described it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described as it is obvious that various modifications thereof 'within the'scope of the claims will occur to persons skilled in'the art.

What is claimed is: 1. In a car seat, a pedestal, a seat body mounted on the pedestal, lever means on the pedestal connected. with the body and operative to shift 2. In a car seat, a pedestal, a slotted guide plate secured thereto and having spaced arms projecting therefrom, a block slidably mounted in the slot, a seat body supporting element rotatably engaging the slide block, the latter furnishing a 4 "partial support for said element, and said element having a rebent marginal supporting flange resting on the pedestal and engaging beneath said arms, lever means operative for sliding the seat body supporting element on the pedestal,

land a roller on the pedestal engaging with the and operating means for the latch f forming 'a part i of I the lever-means having provi'sio'n to in-4 sure movementof the latch priorto operation I;

j-.-= ;85- In" a'car seat having a pedestal anda seat. body 'shiftably mounted on the pedestal, =lever means on the pedestal *connected with-th.seat body andoperativeto'shift thesaid body on-the pedestal; latch means .on the pedestal normally in engagement :with the lever means to prevent operation of the latter, and latch operating mechanism secured to the lever means.

5. A body supporting element for car seats,

comprising a unitary casting having .a hub and arms extending radially therefrom, a rim con,- necting said arms and provided with an inturned supporting flangeand a cam flange formed with the rim and extending partly around the latter.

6. A body supporting element for car seats comprising a hinge plate having a hub provided with supporting flange arranged beneath the before mentioned radiallyprojecting arms.

7.'In a rotatable car seat having a pedestal provided with a fiat upper surface, a guideplate the free ends of said arms and provided with a secured to the'upper surface and having oppositely directed arms, said plate being provided with,

a slot, a block slidably mounted in said slot, a f

hinge plate rotatably mounted on saidblock and provided with a proj eoting supporting flange resting upon the top of the pedestal and engaging beneath the arms of said. guide plate, and a seat body supported on the hinge plate,

8. In a rotatable car seat having a pedestal,

guide plate secured thereto and having oppositely directed arms, said plate having a slot therein, a,

block slidably mounted in said slot, and a hinge plate rotatably mounted on said block, said hinge plate having an inturnedfannular supporting flange resting on the pedestal and engaging the arms of said guide plate to prevent rocking of said hinge plate.

9. In a car seat having a pedestal, a hinge plate slidably and pivotally mounted on the pedestal,

and a seat body hinged to said hinge plate, foot rest brackets attached to the pedestal, and sup ports attached to the seat body and cooperating with the brackets on said pedestal in the normal position of the seat body to support the latter.

10. In a car seat having a pedestal, ahinge iiss- 7 plate slidably. and pivotally mounted on said pedestal, and a seat body hinged to said hinge plate, a plurality of brackets attached to said' pedestal at points spaced longitudinally of the car seat, and supports attached to said seat body and normally in interlocked relation with a plurality of the brackets on said pedestal to prevent tilting of said seat body normal position.

11. In a car seat having-a pedestal, a hinge plate slidably and pivotally mounted on said pedestal, and a seat body hinged to said hinge plate, brackets attached to said pedestal at spaced points thereof, and supports attached to said seat'body cooperating with the brackets on said when the latter is in its pedestal in the normal-position of said seat body to support the latter at spaced points along its length, said brackets and supports being relative 1y so formed and arranged as to be engaged and disengaged by the sliding of said hinge plate on said pedestal. w

12.7 In a car seat havinglapedestaLa hinge jplate, slidably and pivotally mounted on .said' pedestal, and a seat body hinged to said hinge plate, brackets attached to said pedestal -at pointsspaced lengthwise of said ,seat, and supand supports being relatively so formed as to be mammengaged andfdisengagediby the sliding of, said hinge plate on said'pedestal. I r

:13. In-a car seat havinga base, a seat body" supported'thereby and capable of turning movement, tiltingmovement and laterally shiftable movement; means for normally locking said body against turning movement, a lever operativeto efiect lateral" shifting of the-body to release said body from its locked relation to permit turning movement of the body,t-a latch normally engaged with' the lever for preventing'movement of the latter, and a second lever carried by said first named lever for operating said latch to disengage the latter fromsaid first named lever.

JOHN M. KNIGl-IT. 

